THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : The Congress state leadership has formed a four-member subcommittee led by state president K Sudhakaran to zero in on Lok Sabha candidates for Alappuzha and Kannur constituencies. Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan, UDF convenor M M Hassan and Congress Working Committee leader Ramesh Chennithala will be the other members.
Meanwhile, the state leadership, citing dearth of winnable candidates, rejected Mavelikkara MP Kodikunnil Suresh’s request to take him out of the running from the constituency
The decision to form the subcommittee was taken at the Pradesh Election Committee (PEC) meeting held in Thrissur hours before AICC chief Mallikarjun Kharge reached Thekkinkadu Maidan to inaugurate the party’s Mahajana Sabha. AICC general secretary in-charge of Kerala Deepa Dasmunshi attended the meeting.
At the meeting, Sudhakaran urged sitting MPs of the party to kick off electioneering preparations.
TNIE had earlier this week reported how Kodikunnil was keen on entering state politics. He had held consultations in all seven assembly constituencies falling under the Mavelikkara LS seat a few days ago with local leaders, who assured him against anti-incumbency. At the PEC meeting, Kodikunnil maintained he was interested in taking up organisational activities. This did not go down well with the state leadership, and the MP had to finally toe the party line.
Meanwhile, with Sudhakaran bowing out of contesting the LS polls to lead the party during the election, several are hoping to succeed him in Kannur.
Congress state general secretary K Jayanth, Sudhakaran’s trusted lieutenant, Kannur DCC vice-president Mohammed Blathur, national spokesperson Shama Mohamed, Kannur DCC general secretary Amritha Ramakrishnan and state general secretary P M Niyas are the frontrunners in Kannur.
A senior Congress MP who attended the PEC meeting told TNIE that either a Muslim or Ezhava candidate will be fielded in Kannur and Alappuzha.
Call on third LS seat for IUML through talks, says Satheesan
A decision on a third Lok Sabha (LS) seat for Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) will be made soon through discussions with the League leadership, Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan said on Sunday.
Maintaining that IUML deserved a third LS seat, Satheesan said, “We will not question their right to demand it. They are the backbone of UDF. We are careful in ensuring there is not even a small dent in the relationship between IUML and Congress over the third seat. Considering present circumstances, leadership of both parties will make a practical decision through discussions,” he said.
Meanwhile, IUML held a leaders’ meeting in Malappuram on Sunday to discuss the matter. IUML national general secretary P K Kunhalikutty said discussions related to the third seat will continue after the state budget on February 5. He also said the League’s headquarters in New Delhi will be opened soon.